Monday, November 1, 2010

Wish I Knew

I really wish I had a better idea about what path I am going to go down for post-grad med. Somehow I feel that I would be more motivated on the long days of studying if I could visualize myself as a "______" down the road.

I also perused the Ontario Ministry of Health website to see what was cooking in the IMG residency world these days. It's a province that typically takes the greatest number of IMGs. Plus it is close to Tobie's family in Quebec (and a pretty kick-ass part of the country, turns out).

In Ontario if you match as an IMG you owe them a 5 year return of service agreement in a designated under serviced area. I read out all of the towns that were on the list for specialist services and Tobie had only vaguely heard of a couple of places, which he quickly dismissed as "hockey towns" or the "places they mine nickel".

Probably a low demand for professional violists.

Main St. in Wawa, Ontario (one of the return-of-service options).

He observed that it's not as simple as "graduating and hanging your shingle". No, and the road to fulfilling work seems to be lined with a lot of broken glass, burned out cars, and rusty nails.

No one said it was going to be easy! So far, the USA still seems to be the most likely destination for post-grad. Now...how am I going to get some clerkships in the US....and a work visa for my musician partner?

9 comments:

Don't stress about post-graduation yet, what is this year two? Whe the time comes you can live just across the border and still be close to Ontario and Quebec.

Also don't worry about Tobie he will be fine. I lived in Canada for 17 yrs, and now have Canadian in-laws living here, I also have travel nurse friends who have been working down here for years, one for 11 years now. There might be a few more hoops to jump through, but things will work out.

Worst case situation you guys take a honeymoon to Mexico and he can jump across the border to the US, the path is well worn.

The latest issue of Oprah magazine had a really nice article on finding your passion. The advice was more specific than I've seen in other fluffy articles. There was a decent framework given for sorting through possibilities. It actually made me think.

I am sorry, but that is awesome! I wish my results were that vague! In all seriousness though, I am sure the answer will come to you. Enjoy medical school for all it offers now and worry about the specifics of medical specialty when you get to that juncture!

I do need to have some idea now as we are supposed to arrange our own electives in Canada in the regional/medical areas that we are hoping to settle into once we are done.

Hah! Hadn't thought of the Mexican holiday...we were planning on a Californian one actually, so not much of a stretch!

OMDG--Sweet! Maybe you could teach me to embrace the pool. (That would require a lot of aversion therapy involving me and bathing suits!)

POP--Cool, thanks for the info--will look into it!

Grump--Stressing?? What makes you think I am stressing? [as voice goes to unnaturally high pitch]

It's just my way of processing...writing things out seems to bring things to the surface. I think a fair bit about the areas in school that interest me or that I seem to be strong in...and then extrapolate in my mind "could I handle a lifetime of this?"

RH--I know, right? Cuz EM, Derm, and Radiology are soooo similar!?! I laughed as well. It is a good point that you and Cartoon Char. make...to enjoy the forest now. Concentrate on the trees later.

CC--It's true. Just a long-term-planning habit that is hard to shake. =)

The video was good--I like the 'time delay'. Hahahha.

DF--Welllll, I do have family in Auz! Don't think I could convince Tobie though...too far from his family.

have you seen this site? You must have because it is for Canadians...This particular link goes to the discussion of whether to go to Oz or Ireland for med school.http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45908

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